Russell mulling over Giovinco recovery mission

Lucinda Russell’s Giovinco has Sandown and Cheltenham options after pulling up in the Kauto Star at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The seven-year-old claimed his first win over fences at Aintree in November and then chased home Paul Nicholls’ useful Stay Away Fay in the Grade Two Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown next time out.

He was subsequently entered in the Kauto Star, a Grade One run over the same trip of three miles, but under Stephen Mulqueen he never seemed to hit his stride and was eventually pulled up as Il Est Francais went on to win impressively.

There was less than three weeks between the gelding’s last two runs, a time-span Russell suspects may have been too short with hindsight.

The Scilly Isles at Sandown and the Festival Trials Day card at Cheltenham could now appear on Giovinco’s agenda, both of which would involve a step down to the near two-and-a-half-mile trip he was successful over twice as a hurdler.

“He might go to Sandown, we’ve got a couple of options with him,” said Russell.

“We might even go to Cheltenham and go over two miles four (furlongs) there.

“He was quite tired after Kempton and we felt, in hindsight, we’d gone to the well just a bit too quickly with him.

“He seems well now, he had a quiet time over the New Year and he’s back to being his usual self again.”